Carton for packaging and carrying blasting caps and the like



CARTON FOR PACKAGING AND CARRYING BLASTING CAPS AND THB' LIKE Filed Mafch'l, 1940 FlGrl r He.- 3

ALB ERT new INVENTOR BY Cami-A 2,. 2.

ATTORNEY.

Patented Sept. 29,

CARTON FOR PACKAGING CARRYING 'BLASTING CAPS AND THE LIKE Albert R. Ely, Wilmington, Del., assignor to Hercules Powder Company,'Wilmington, Del., acorporation of Delaware Application March 1, 1946, Serial No. 321,639

3 Claims; (01. 229-52) 1 This invention relates to containers, and more particularly to boxes or cartons for packaging and carrying electric blasting caps and the like.

Heretofore it has been a practice to use bulky heavy carryingcases for takingelectric blasting caps into mines or to blasting locations a considerable distance away from the supply base. This requires taking th caps out of the boxes in which they were shipped and placing them into the carrying cases. This transferring operation consumed time and required careful handling of highly explosive materials. -When the carrying cases were emptied, they had to be carried back to the working place. The necessity of first transferring the caps to the case and then carrying the heavy case back and forth was a source of annoyance-to blasting operators. Frequently the cases were lost or destroyed during the blasting operations. The initial cost and expense of replacing the cases was of course ob-. jectionable. I 1

.An object of the present invention is to overcome the foregoing difllculties and disadvantages.

Another object is to provide a simple, inexpensive box for electric blasting caps and the like.

Another object is to provide "a box having relatively light weight which may be conveniently stored or packed and can be easily carried while dispensing the contents thereof.

A further object is to eliminate the use of special carrying cases, and the incident expense,

by providing a box which serves both as a shipping carton and a carrying case.

Otherand further objects will be obvious upon an understanding of the illustrative embodiment about to be described, or will be indicated in the appended claims, and various advantages not referred to herein will occur-to one skilled in the art upon employment of the. invention in practice.

In the accompanying drawing, I Fig. 1 is a p spective view of a box illustrating an embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the box showing the coverin closed position, for clearness; and

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary perspective view illustrating the manner in which the box' may be used as a carrying case.

Referring to the drawing, there is shown a box or carton l0, constructed .of cardboard, fibreboard, or the like, which is suitable for packaging electric blasting caps or the like. The box wall II, a rear wall l2 and a I H and I5. The bottom of the box is closed in with parts broken awaypreferably is rectangular, and comprises a front the usual manner and the top is provided with a ioldable cover l6 for closing the box.

The cover [6 comprises a flap l'l,'foldably con- T nectedto the rear wall l2 of the box at It, and a pair of spaced locking tabs 20 foldably connected to the front edge of the coverflap l'l. Each. tab has an inclined edge 2| terminating in anundercut 23 for receiving a locking tongue 22 centrally located on and foldable with the front wall ll of the box. The tongue has a recess or undercut 24 at each side adjacent the- The side walls It and 15 are each provided with an end' flap 25 foldable at 2' and adapted to be folded inwardly and extend beneath the cover (Fig. 2) when the box is closed. Preferably these flaps extend endwise along the entire upper edge of the side walls whereby they are" securely connected for the purpose about to be described. Also. as noted in the drawing, they are relatively short and extend only partially towards the middle of the box.

In order to facilitate using the packing box as'a carrying case as contemplated by the invention, each of the end flaps 25 is provided with suitable means for attaching a handle member or the like. Such means may be an aperture 21 formed substantially at the centerof the flap, but preferably the portions of the flap adjacent the aperture are reinforced by a metallic eyelet or grommet 29 extending through the aperture 21 and secured to theflap; I

The eyelets 2! serve to receive, respectively, the ends of a handle member which may be strand, for example, a wire bail or a flexible-wire or cord 30. The wire or cord may be looped about and tied to the flaps 25, or may be provided with a knotjl, or other suitable means larger than the aperture of the eyelet and thereby serving to attach the handle member to the flaps 25.

In using the foregoing'described box, the blast-1 ing caps or other articles are placed in the box-in the customary manner.' The end flaps 25 are then folded inwardly partially to cover the articles in the box and the wire or cord 30 is arranged in the space provided at the middle of the top of the box by reason of the end flaps being relatively short. It will, of course, be understood that the wire or cord :0 need 'not be provided pair of side walls with the box, but may be attached by the ultimate consumer of the'articles to be dispensed.

The cover is folded into position as shown in Fig. 2, with the tabs 29 and tongue 22 cooperating to lock it in closed position. When the box is closed in this manner, the handle member is concealed and the box has the same shape and .and cause the caps in the box to be subjected to a' shock which may result in an accidental explosion. When the boxes or cartons contain-v ing the caps are received at the place of use, they are readily opened by lifting the cover I6 and folding the end flaps 25 upwardly. If a handle member has not been provided, one may be attached, and this handle member will serve as a convenient means for carrying the box while using the'caps. The cord or wire fits about the arm of the blasting operator or may be of a length to permit him to sling it acrosshis shoulder or hang from belt, thereby leaving his hands free to do his work. Also, the cord or wire permits the box to be hung on a wall or ceiling support in mines where the floor is wet or may be hung on hook through one or both eyelets.

As illustrated more particularly in Fig. 3, a

feature of the invention is that the cover can I be closed while the end flaps 25 and cord' protrude therefrom. This is very desirable because it prevents the caps from being spilled while the box is carried. When the box is suspended by the cord, the weight thereof tensions the cord which tends to cause the cord to converge towards its point of support. This may cause the end flaps 25 to be folded slightly towards each other and extend over the cover to serve as additional means for holding it in closed position.

After all the caps in a box have been dispensed, the box may be readily disposed of by destroying it in a blasting shot or it may be burned.

From the foregoing description, it will be seen that the objects and advantages of the invention may be accomplished in a simple economical and practical manner. The necessity of carrying heavy bulky and expensive special cases is eliminated. Also, the transferring of the caps to the cases is eliminated. The present carton-carrier is readily disposed of after the contents are dispensed. It fulfills a. long wanted need in the blasting industry. The nominal increase in cost which may be occasioned by the cord and eyelets is fully justified andovercome by the attractiveness and usefulness of the box. The box is' rugged in construction and is fully adapted to withstand any rough usage to whichit may be subjected.

As various changes may be made in the form, construction, and arrangement of the parts herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention and without sacrificing any of its advantages, it is to be understood that all matter hereinis to be interpreted asillustrative and not in a limiting sense.'

What I claim and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

'1. A packing and carrying box for electric blasting caps comprising a box member, foldable flap members mounted on opposite sides of the box and adapted to be folded inwardly and down wardly, said flap members being so constructed and arranged that when folded downwardly a substantial space is left between adjacent end portions of the flap members, a cord member having its end portions securely fastened to the flap members and serving in combination with the flap members as a carrying means for the box, said cord member'when not in use being disposed in the space between the-ends of saidflap members, a foldable cover flap mounted on an end portion of the box and adapted to be folded over said foldable flap members and means anchoring the cover'fiap in closed position.

2. A combined packing and carrying box for electric blasting caps, comprising end walls, side walls and a bottom wall suitably connected together to form a box, foldable flap members connected to the upper portions of the side walls and adapted to be folded downwardly toward one another, eyelets mounted. in the fiap members, a cord having its end portions extending through the eyelets, means anchoring said end portions to the eyelets whereby the cord maybe used as a carrying means for the box, said foldable flap members when folded down being constructed and arranged to provide a substantial space between their end portions whereby the said cord may be disposed in said spacewhen not in use, a foldable flap connected to an end wall of the box and adapted to fold downwardly over the flaps mounted on the end walls to form a closure for the box, spaced fingers mounted on the erid of said foldable flap, and means associated with the upper portionof the end wall opposite that onwhich the foldable flap is located and adapted to cooperate with said fingers blasting caps comprising a box member, foldable flap members mounted on opposite sides of the box and adapted to be folded inwardly and downwardly, said flap members being so constructed and arranged that when folded downwardly a substantial space is left between adjacent end portions of the flap members, a cord member having its end portions securely fastened to the flap members and serving in combination with the flap members as a carrying means for the box, said cord member when not in use having a substantial portion of its length disposed into said box beneath said flap members, a foldable cover flap mounted on an end portion of the box and adapted to be folded over said foldable flap members and means anchoring the cover flap in closed position.

ALBERT R, ELY. 

